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Recommendations for Improved National CyberSecurity

Three statuettes of wise monkeys that see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil. Who will you be?

Cybersecurity isn’t a topic solely for IT managers and professionals, but one of the president too, who has released six imperatives and 16 recommendations for improved national cybersecurity.

The 90 page report, which was written by The Commission on Enhancing National Cyber security, a panel created President Obama in 2013, has issued recommendations for both the private public sectors to subdue the growing cyber attacks affecting millions of Americans across a number of industries. The recommendations and subsequent actions aim to alleviate the pressures of foreign and domestic cyber attacks on government officials and pedestrians alike, such as the recent Yahoo and Sony hacks, and the pre-election DNC hack.

The report focused on six imperatives for the upcoming president, including:

Innovate and Accelerate Investment for the Security and Growth of Digital Networks and the Digital Economy

Prepare Consumers to Thrive in a Digital Age

Build Cybersecurity Workforce Capabilities

Better Equip Government to Function Effectively and Securely in the Digital Age

Ensure an Open, Fair, Competitive, and Secure Global Digital Economy

While President Obama will be able to begin on some of the six imperatives during his remaining time in office, the report is consider a “direct memo” containing 16 urgent recommendations based on the six imperatives for President-Elect Trump to implement within the next 2-5 years – and some within the first 100 days of his presidency. Below are a few key points from the 16 recommendations in the report.

The Security “Nutritional Label” – One of the most iconic snippets from the report claims for a nation-wide “nutritional label” for tech products and services on cybersecurity. This label would aim to make the risks and rewards clearer to the reader, and more easily accessible to a non-tech-focused public.

Appointment of an International Ambassador – Every good movement needs a spokesperson, and this ambassador would be the figurehead of the movement to make cybersecurity regulation and international norm. According to the report, this position would “coordinate with the international community in creating and harmonizing cybersecurity policies and practices and common international agreements on cybersecurity law and global norms of behavior.”

Creation of an Assistant to the President – While cybersecurity is a major threat to the US, the president has a lot more on his plate than to worry about only this. The creation of this position would be to spearhead the evolution of cyber security as a plausible international threat, and would report to the president through national security channels.

Improvement of IoT Safety – The Internet of Things is the fast-coming technology of tomorrow, and while it’s going to have incredible positive effects on business and technology, it’s also going to cause concern for increased hacking in a “connected” world. The report recommends a joint effort between public and private sectors to improve the security of IoT, and with infrastructure moving towards an IoT connected interface, the security of these systems is truly a national security interest.

Safety for SMBs – Focusing on the small and medium sized businesses was one of the key takeaways, with an increased desire for improved security for small and medium sized businesses to mitigate risk of cyber attack.

Improve Security Updates – One of biggest cybersecurity risks is outdated technology. This recommendation claims the federal sector should remain ahead of the curve, and that The President and Congress should “promote technology adoption and accelerate the pace at which technology is refreshed within the federal sector.”

Whether your a small business or a large government-contractor, these updated cybersecurity imperatives and recommendations are for your safety, and will potentially be a catalyst for change in your organization in the coming years.

While you can’t control how President-Elect Trump will handle the recommendations and imperatives, you can control how you improve your own cybersecurity. That’s why working with a trusted IT consultant like NENS is the best first step towards improving security for your business and your data, regardless of how important the future president chooses to view national cybersecurity.

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